Complexity’s Joksan Redona has been installed as the favorite to win the FIFA 19 eChampions League in Madrid on May 31. He subjected world champion MSDossary to a thumping 5-2 defeat during the qualifiers in Manchester last month and the odds compilers feel he is the man to beat in the finals. Saudi star MSDossary is a lot more comfortable playing on Xbox and he switched to PlayStation for the event, so his loss was not too surprising. However, the skill and intensity that Joksan displayed has clearly impressed the experts and he is the frontrunner ahead of the big tournament.
Just eight players remain standing and a champion will be crowned the day before Liverpool and Tottenham lock horns in the Champions League final at Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium.
Bulgarian pro NightWatch, the 46th seed on Xbox and a free agent, toppled world number one F2Tekkz in the qualifying stage in Manchester. F2Tekkz is also an Xbox star and switched to PlayStation for this event, as it is exclusive to that console. He was also not expecting to make it to the finals, but everyone was shocked to see him lose to NightWatch, who roared with delight after wrapping up a pulsating 6-4 victory.
A total of 64 hopefuls headed to Manchester on a rainy afternoon for the qualifying event, and there were surprises aplenty. Nicolas99fc, the top-ranked PlayStation star in the world, also fell by the wayside. This tournament is now wide open and it promises to be an entertaining affair. There is a prize pool of $100,000 for the tournament and the winner will walk off with a haul of 850 FIFA Global Series points, so there is a great deal at stake for some of these lesser known players.
Next up is the FIFA eWorld Cup, which MSDossary won via a string of stylish performances last year. Prize money stood at $400,000 in 2018 and players are hoping it will rise this time around. This tournament is divided into Xbox and PlayStation and a champion will be crowned for each console. Then those two champions will go into a two-legged cross-console final, playing one game on Xbox and the other on PlayStation to determine the overall world champion.
F2Tekkz and MSDossary should be a lot happier on their favored Xbox and they are expected to be among the leading challengers after both men have enjoyed strong runs of form in recent months. Nicolas99fc is expected to lead the charge for the PlayStation hopefuls, but the eChampions League qualifiers showed that anything is possible in this exciting, dynamic esport. New heroes are coming to the fore all the time and it will be fascinating to see if any can upset the established order. All eyes will be on Madrid for the eChampions League finals, as the event could well yield a superstar of the future. Developer EA hopes hosting it just before the Liverpool v Tottenham game will create a “two-day celebration of digital and traditional football”.
To further connect the eChampions League Final to the real-world competition, the eight competitors will draft and use footballers involved in the Champions League. “Building an authentic UEFA Champions League competition was the next logical step in the continued EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series expansion for both players and spectators,” said gaming commissioner Brent Koning. “Our passionate competitors love the UEFA Champions League and the eChampions League creates a unique opportunity for the competitive FIFA superstars to represent their clubs in the pinnacle of club football.”
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